First responders have been dealing with multiple traffic mishaps this morning.
At one point this morning, tractor-trailers were blocking both directions on Route 19 at Parmalee Road in Le Roy. Law enforcement is still on scene at that location and looking to reroute traffic.
A tractor-trailer vs. car accident was reported earlier at Route 237 and Richmond Road.
A vehicle rollover accident was reported at Route 63 and Judge Road.
UPDATE 7:04 a.m.: A vehicle in the ditch on Route 238. Also, vehicles are finding it difficult to get up hill on Richmond Road. Route 19 north is passable now but law enforcement wants to hold off opening up the road until plows hit it one more time.
UPDATE 7:08 a.m.: Law enforcement is checking on a vehicle at Colby and Sumner, Darien, with its four-ways on.
UPDATE 7:12 a.m.: As soon as there's more salt on the road, Route 19 at Parmalee can be reopened in both directions.
UPDATE 8:28 a.m.: A vehicle is off the road on Ford Road, Elba.
UPDATE 8:34 a.m.: A road patrol reports that Route 63 out of Pavilion, all traffic is stopped. Dispatch said they've received no calls on it.
UPDATE 8:34 a.m.: A road patrol requests traffic be blocked at Route 20 and Route 63, south. There are tractor-trailers blocking traffic and several of them "just parked."
UPDATE 8:52 a.m.: A patrol is in place to stop traffic southbound on Route 63. Other patrol reports that roadway is just about cleared. It might be only another five minutes.
UPDATE 8:58 a.m.: A patrol is dispatched to Route 20 and Route 98, Alexander, to direct seim-truck traffic northbound.
UPDATE 10:56 a.m.: Rollover accident reported on Route 98 at Goodman Road, Alexander. The operator reports no injuries. A white pickup has struck a mailbox in Pavilion. DOT wants Route 20 shutdown between Route 98 and Route 238.
UPDATE 10:57 a.m.: Tractor Trailers are backed up on Route 20.
UPDATE 11 a.m.: A travel advisory is being issued for Genesee County from Route 20 to the south.
UPDATE 11:11 a.m.: On Route 20, Alexander, there is a UPS truck on its side, a Budget truck in a ditch on the wrong side of the road, and a passenger vehicle off the road (which has its own tow on the way).
UPDATE 11:12 a.m.: In Le Roy, there are vehicles off the road on Vallance Road and on Perry Road.
UPDATE 11:42 a.m.: There may be a jack-knifed semi on Route 238, Alexander.
UPDATE 11:46 a.m.: Route 238 is open both directions between Route 20 and the village of Attica.
UPDATE Noon: An Amazon van is struck on Stroh Road, Alexander.
Photos of Route 19 from Thursday morning via Le Roy PD:
Following an investigation into a hit-and-run accident at 5:11 p.m. on Tuesday on East Main Street near the Mobile Gas Station, police took into custody Jeffrey Plath, no age provided, of Stringham Drive.
The victim of the hit-and-run accident was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital. His name was not released. Batavia PD reports he is in satisfactory condition.
At the time of his apprehension, Plath was allegedly found with a switchblade knife, which police said he did not use or threaten to use.
Plath is charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, unregistered motor vehicle, uninsured motor vehicle, and leaving the scene of an injury accident.
He was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.
Police ask that anyone with information related to the case to call Det. Mathew Wojtaszczyk at 585-345-6357.
There is a lake effect snow warning in effect from 10 p.m. Wednesday to 1 p.m. on Friday.
The storm could produce accumulations of eight to 20 inches of heavy, wet snow in some areas. Wind gusts of up to 40 mph are anticipated, which will create considerable blowing and drifting snow.
The warning is effect for Northern Erie County and Genesee County with the heaviest snow expected south of Buffalo and far southern Genesee County.
Residents are told to expect difficult travel with deep snow cover on roads and poor visibility. There will be areas of blowing and drifting snow.
Heavy snow will fall in relatively narrow bands. If traveling, be prepared for rapidly changing road conditions and visibility.
Cancellations and closures:
Elba Central Schools will be closed tomorrow due to the state of emergency declared by Governor Hochul and the forecasted winter storm.
Byron-Bergen Schools will be closed, and all activities will be canceled on Thursday.
Batavia City Schools will be closed for classes and activities on Thursday.
BOCES is closed
Richmond Memorial Libray is closed.
Notre Dame is Closed.
Pembroke Central School District is closed Thursday
Oakfield-Alabama Central School District is closed Thursday
Alexander Central School District is closed Thursday
Pavilion Central School District is closed Thursday
Le Roy Central School District is closed Thursday
Genesee Community College is closed.
Northgate Free Methodist Church office is closed for Thursday.
The Batavia Society of Artists show opening at Richmond Memorial Library will be rescheduled in January.
The Christmas Dance for Adults with Developmental Disabilities has been postponed due to the winter weather. The dance is rescheduled for Thursday, December 19th at 6 p.m. Please pass this information on to your dancing buddies!
Due to the County Travel Advisory, The Pembroke Town Board meeting Scheduled for tonight is being moved to Wednesday 12/18 at 6:00 PM.
Please email cancellations and closures to news@thebatavian.com.
Staying open:
Northside Deli.
Regarding the State of Emergency, Gov. Kathy Hochul said, “As winter weather bears down on our State, I am declaring a State of Emergency so our communities have the resources they need to stay safe. We are deploying resources and working alongside our partners in government as we prepare for every possibility — I encourage all New Yorkers to stay alert, stay off the roads if possible, and keep in contact with family and friends as we move through the next 48 hours.”
The State of Emergency is in effect for Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Franklin, Genesee, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego, St. Lawrence, Wyoming and contiguous counties.
The Genesee Chorale presents its annual Christmas concert at 2 p.m. on Saturday at St. James Episcopal Church, 405 E. Main St., Batavia, featuring baritone Joseph Finetti.
Finetti is featured in the performance of "Fantasia on Christmas Carols," composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams.
The chorale will also perform "Magnificat" by Taylor Scott Davis.
Bruce Scofield and Tyler Scofield, owners of Scofield Transfer & Recycling, based in Stafford, with one of their new garbage trucks. Photo by Howard Owens.
Bruce Scofield says he has been waiting more than a decade for the right time to enter the residential garbage business.
He thinks now, after residents in Batavia have been left with only two trash collection options and two large corporations, the time is right.
He's launching a residential refuse business in Batavia at the beginning of 2025.
"So, let me tell you, this is how it happened. When my son graduated from high school in 2011 he says, 'Dad, he says, Let's start a garbage out business go house to house,'" Scofield recalled. "I say, 'No, time's not right. It's not right.' And I told him, 'Be patient.'"
In 2013, after Tyler Scofield graduated from college, he proposes going into the residential garbage business again.
Bruce, again, didn't think the time was right.
A couple of years later, Tyler brought the issue up again.
"He says, 'Dad,' he says, 'I want to start a side little business.' He says, 'We got this business.' He says, 'I'll before work. I'll go out and run around, and I'll do it after.' He says, 'I want to get into the garbage business.' And again, I told him, 'Son, the timing isn't right. Be patient.'"
They watched four or five small, locally owned or start-up businesses jump into the new market for garbage collection in the city of Batavia after the city canceled a long-time contract with Genesee ARC for exclusive garbage collection.
Bruce Scofield didn't want to compete in that market. Too many of the new businesses were run by people with little business experience. They're not educated enough, he said, to know what a profit margin is.
"I don't want to compete against somebody who's not in it to make money or it doesn't know how to make money," Scofield said. "Big corporations know how to make money. I can compete against people who know how to make money. Now, when the price is up there, we can come in and give great service, and we're not selling on price. We're going to have an attractive price, but you're going to know the owners."
A few months ago, Bruce and Tyler traveled to Florida to buy a one-year-old garbage truck for $256,000.
On the drive home, while Bruce is thinking about how to increase revenue to help cover the cost, Tyler raises the issue of residential service again.
"He says, 'I get a lot of calls' -- because my son answers 90% of the calls -- 'I get a lot of calls from people looking for residential service.' He says, 'They're about begging,' and me being the businessman, you know, I want to justify buying the truck. I said, 'You know what?' I said, 'The time's right.' I say, 'Now we'll get into it because there are only big corporations. There are no locally owned businesses, and the price is high. We can make money.'"
To start, Scofield is only offering residential service on the north side of Route 5, from Clinton Street Road in the town of Batavia on the east to Park Road on the west. Residents in those neighborhoods will receive mailers advertising the service. They can also call 585-343-3400 to sign up.
The cost, with taxes and fees, $33.37 per month.
The garbage business is tough, Scofield said, because paying customers don't feel like they’re getting something for their money. They're paying money to get rid of something. It's not like going to dinner and getting that sense of satisfaction when you pay the bill, or buying a new car or going on a vacation. It's garbage. The stuff you no longer want."
"They'll camp out in front of a store to get a new Apple iPhone and spend $1,500 but at the end of the week, there's no gratification in paying a garbage bill," Scofield said. "But garbage is expensive to get rid of. Garbage trucks are the most expensive. Everything's expensive, but when you take $33.37 divided by four, it's $8.34 to have somebody come to your house and pick up garbage."
That's about the price of a latte, he noted.
"They'll spend that every day, but they're very critical of how much their garbage bill is," he said. "That's the one problem with the garbage business. But for $8.34 you can get somebody to come to your house and haul your garbage away."
Garbage collection for all city residents -- even when service opens on the southside within the following month or two -- will be on Thursdays, so expect on the week of Thanksgiving, there will be no changing of collection days for holidays.
Stafford, Scofield's home base, will also get service starting in the new year, and eventually, more towns in Genesee County will be added.
"Then we're going to designate other towns on other days of the week," Scofield said. "We'll never be a Monday pickup service. We're going to always try to be Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Friday is a floating day, and Monday is our other businesses."
Scofield's total investment in the new line of business so far exceeds $500,000. He also bought a brand new, smaller truck for $250,000 that can be operated by a driver only because the tote pick-up is automated.
He's also bought bright yellow totes for every customer. The yellow totes will save his drivers time carrying a list of customers or memorizing addresses.
They simply pick up every yellow tote along their routes.
What they won't be picking up is recycling totes.
Scofield is offering a recycling program for customers, one he said will ensure customers who care about recycling will actually have confidence that they're recycling won't go to a landfill.
A big issue with recycling, Scofield explained, is that many customers may not realize that they think they're recycling but they're not, and as a result, their neighbors who put only approved material into recycling bins are also not recycling.
Most people, he said, don't really understand what can go into the recycling tote. The customers who do get cheated out of recycling by those who don't, with some companies.
"One customer might say, 'Well, I'm going to go through the motions of recycling,' but they don't do it right," Scofield said. "They might put a pizza box in there. They put a coffee cup in there. If you put a container with food left in it, so if it was a peanut butter jar, it wasn't washed out, that becomes contaminated recyclables.'
Just like one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch, one unwashed peanut butter jar can legally enable a hauler to send the whole load from a collection route to the landfill.
"That's like hitting the jackpot for a garbage company because they say, 'Well, it was contaminated. We can't control what the customer does,' so they're going to go through all the motions and say, 'Yes, we offer recyclables, ' and at the end of the day, they can landfill it."
For customers who are serious about recyclables, he will offer gift certificates to Tops, Dunkin' Donuts, or Tim Hortons if they bring their bags of recyclables to the Scofield transfer station in Stafford.
"Every time you bring it here, we're here to inspect it and to educate the people," Scofield said. "'This is how you do it.' I don't want my employees sorting out on the side of the road. So you get a punch card. Every five times you come out here, you get a $10 gift certificate to top Dunkin' Donuts or Tim Hortons."
The two big corporations that serve Batavia now are Casella Waste (which bought out all the small operators that set up shop when the city got out of the garbage business) and Waste Management. Casella claims on its website to operate a sorting facility and promises that all uncontaminated recyclables are recycled. Waste Management makes no such promise and indicates that contaminated loads are sent to landfills.
Waste Management states:
A container is considered contaminated when your recycling bin contains trash, the materials are soiled by food/liquids, or items are placed in plastic bags. For recyclable materials to have a second life, they must be clean and free from contaminants.
"I'm not going to go through the motions and tell everybody, 'Yeah, we're recycling, do it on the side of the roadside or send it to a landfill. I never want to be called out on that," Scofield said.
Any customers who have questions, Scofield said, are welcome to call him and he will explain the program further.
Scofield believes local ownership is a clear competitive advantage over big corporations.
He said he's passionate about his business. He takes care of his employees, keeps his trucks well-maintained and clean, and usually when customers call, it's him or his son answering the phone.
And if you call because you forgot to put your garbage out? If it's not a habitual problem, Scofield will send a truck back to pick it up. That's less likely to happen with the big haulers.
"You're never going to get an owner of Waste Management or Casella," Scofield said. "You're never going to get Casella or Waste Management to sponsor, like we do, the Genesee County Fair. We're big into the Genesee County Fair. When Le Roy needed an ambulance, we were right there to step up. That's the difference. We care about our community."
Bruce Scofield demonstrates the new automated garbage truck added to the Scofield fleet. Photo by Howard Owens.
James DiLullo, Aurora Callery, and Roselyn Kasmire. Photo by Howard Owens.
The long road to completing a five-minute film about a scary kitty that was shot in Batavia this past year reached the milestone of a public screening at GO ART! on Saturday night after the Christmas in the City parade.
The film isn't online yet. Producer, director and screenwriter James DiLullo said the short will be entered into a number of film festivals and those festivals typically want exclusive access, so it will be a little while before you can view the film on YouTube (embedded below).
DiLullo hosted a discussion with two of the lead actors who were able to attend the screening, Aurora Callery, and Roselyn Kasmire.
An audience member asked Callery what she drew on to inspire her character and the child actor said, "I just thought about my little sister, who loves cats. I just pretended I was my little sister."
At one point during filming, the cat playing "Kitty," Bunny "Kitbull" Buzzkill, scratched her, making a scare that looks like a smiley face, which she likes.
"She's very fat so she thinks my fingers are little hot dogs," she said.
Callery asked Kasmire, who plays a teacher, what she thought about while doing her scenes. Kasmire, who actually is a teacher in Buffalo, said in this case she didn't have to dig deep. As animated as she is as a teacher in the movie, that is how she is with her students in real life.
More than 70 people who spent their final days at Crossroads House in Batavia were remembered in a Love Lights Luminaries Ceremony in the garden outside the house.
Debbie Paine, executive assistant, led the brief ceremony.
On Saturday evening, area children could visit Santa and Mrs. Claus in the First Presbyterian Church of Batavia and then pick a plush toy or some other day. The event was hosted by The Little Free Pantry.
Notre Dame, on the road for its season opener, beat Lyondville in Girls Basketball on Friday night, 58-34.
Sofia Falleti scored 22 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and seven steals.
Gianna Falleti had 12 points and five steals, Lucia Fiorentino had 11 points, and Clairissa Milliman had six points.
“We came out tonight ready to get this season started," said Coach Vinny Falleti. "These girls were ready to play. We have a very young team this year, and I was excited to see how cohesive and energized they play."
A 39-year-old Lockport man is facing a prison term of 50 years to life related to the murder of an Olcott man after passing a plea offer in County Court on Friday that would have capped his sentence at 20 years to life.
Edward Dunn told County Court judge Donald O'Geen that he understood the offer and that he was decling to accept it at this time, instead choosing to face a potential jury trial.
The plea cutoff date in the case is Jan. 8, but District Attorney Kevin Finnell said he can't say if Dunn will get the same offer again after turning down today's officer, which was a minimum of 15 years to life and a maximum of 20 years to life.
Defense attorney Casey F. Spencer said in court that there had been a meeting in the judge's chambers where the DA agreed to a possible sentence, if the plea was accepted, of 18 years to life.
Spencer said she did discuss the offer with Dunn thoroughly before he decided to turn it down.
Dunn is accused of killing Michael Poole and then hiding his body in the trunk of a car that was abandoned in the town of Alabama in March.
He is charged with murder in the second degree, a Class A-1 felony; assault in the second degree, a Class B felony; concealment of a human corpse, a Class E felony; and tampering with physical evidence, a Class E felony.
If he had accepted the plea, he would have admitted to murder and to concealment of a human corpse.
The maximum sentence by state law on the murder count is 25 years to life.
On the concealment count, Finnell was offering a sentence of 2 to 4 years, to be served concurrently with the murder sentence.
If convicted at trial, Dunn could be sentenced to the maximum on the murder charge. Because the concealment act could be considered a separate crime, and because Dunn has a prior felony conviction, he could get another 25 to life sentence on that conviction and have the two sentences run consecutively, giving an effective sentence of 50 years to life.
Finnell said the offer was put on the record today because Dunn was given a chance to accept it before motion hearings, which are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 13.
Also charged in the murder is Kathryn A. Henry, 33, from Lockport, who was arrested on April 19 and charged with murder in the second degree. She was accused at the time of conspiring with Dunn to kill Poole and hide his body.Correction: Henry entered guilty pleas on Aug. 22 to charges of hindering prosecution, a Class D felony, and concealment of a human corpse, a Class E felony. She is no longer facing a murder charge as previously reported.
Her next scheduled court date isn't until Aug. 19.
Also charged in the case is Norman S. DuBois, 45, of Lockport. He is charged with hindering prosecution in the first degree, tampering with physical evidence, concealment of a human corpse and conspiracy.
Dunn appeared in court on Friday dressed in the green jumpsuit of the state corrections system. He is being held at Elmira on a conviction in Orleans County on a count of burglary in the third degree. He was sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison in October. His first parole eligibility charge on that sentence is September 2026.
Your ugly Christmas sweater could be your ticket to ride at Sunday's annual Genesee Symphony Orchestra holiday concert at GCC.
At intermission, GSO elves seek out the ugliest sweater worn by an audience member who will be the winner of the grand prize -- a chance to conduct the orchestra during its annual performance of Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride."
While "Sleigh Ride" is a perennial fan favorite, among the highlights of the concert, said Conductor and Musical Director Shade Zajac, is the vocal performances of Soprano Jessica Moss.
She's singing an aria from the opera “La Wally,” two from Handel's “Messiah,” and an aria from “La Bohème.”
"She's an extraordinary singer," Zajac said. "I met her about two years ago. I've only been able to work with her one other time before, and she's a real, a real fine artist. I mean, absolutely, see her now before she gets to the Met, where the tickets are going to be more expensive."
Besides "Sleigh Ride," other fun numbers on the program include "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," as well as selections from the “It's a Wonderful Life” Suite -- yes, the soundtrack of the Jimmy Stewart classic arranged for orchestra.
"We've had a very busy start of the season and really intense start of the season, so it's really nice to just kind of let loose a little bit and play some fun music," Zajac said. "We love doing 'It's a Wonderful Life.' It's some great, great music and they don't make scores like that any more. It’s really cute and full of old Hollywood schlock."
GSO performs at GCC at 4 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $17 for adults; seniors $12, and students with ID are free.
The crew of After Further Review, the new sports and music talk show on WBTA, with Jim Ernst, Erik Triftshauser, Steve Pies, and Marc Tillery. Photo by Howard Owens.
If it's your habit to greet people with a "Go Buffalo" 365 days a year, a new radio show on Wednesday mornings on WBTA might be for you.
After Further Review is a local take—featuring Jim Ernst, Erik Triftshauser, Steve Pies, and Marc Tillery—on the Bills and the Sabres, local high school sports, some national sports, and an enthusiastic discussion of the hosts' other shared passion: music.
"It's your front-row seat for sports, hits and headlines," said Ernst, station owner and co-host. "That's our slogan."
The show airs at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesdays.
They talk about the Blue Devils, the Aggies, the Trojans, the Bees, the Lancers, and ever other high school sports program as much as they talk about the Bills and the Sabres. With hockey coming up, BND United will be a frequent topic of conversation.
They like to go deep into music, too, Ernst said.
"Every episode, we each pick one song, break it down a little bit, and talk a little bit about the group," Ernst said. "Like yesterday, I picked 'More Than a Feeling' because we were right there at High Mark Stadium, and it's Jim Kelly's favorite song."
"We like to say It's mind over matter. If it's not on our mind, it really doesn't matter," Triftshauser quipped.
John and Miranda Spyropoulous. Photos by Howard Owens
With all his friends from Le Roy asking John Spyropoulous when he would open a restaurant in Le Roy so they wouldn't need to drive so often to Settlers in Batavia, along with the increasing number of people coming to him looking for work, Spyropoulous decided to take the hint and open a new eatery in the former L.B. Grand location on Main Street.
"You know, I've got that place (Settlers Restaurant) running so good now, and my employees are so great, they don't even need me there. They kick me out," Spyropoulous said in an exclusive interview with The Batavian. "So, I said I'd give it a shot. I need a new challenge."
Settlers Select officially opens on Monday.
Starting a new restaurant in Le Roy is a sort of homecoming for Spyropoulous.
When Spyropoulous family first moved to Genesee County more than five decades ago, they rented an apartment in Le Roy. John's father, Steve Spyropoulous, immigrated to the U.S. from Greece as a young man with just a suitcase. He started his restaurant career washing dishes in a restaurant in Rochester that members of his family owned. He saved his money and opened a restaurant in Fairport.
That was going pretty well until he learned the drawbridge over the canal was going to be closed for restoration work. So he sold the restaurant where he could and brought the family to Le Roy, looking for his next opportunity.
Steve looked at a location in Le Roy -- the space that was most recently Moony's on Lake Street -- and another location in Attica, but neither deal worked out, so he turned his attention to the former Red Barn location in Batavia.
"My father took it over and made it a gem," John said. "You know, it's a staple now. He did good for himself. He worked hard."
The new restaurant, Settlers Select, at 37-39 Main Street, Le Roy, is more of a bistro than a classic American diner.
The breakfast menu remains the same.
"Breakfast is breakfast," John said.
On the lunch and dinner menu are items such as roasted cauliflower with a spicy aioli, pitas, and hot pepper dip, a French onion burger, and breaded pork cutlets served with mashed potatoes and braised cabbage.
John's wife Miranda leads the kitchen, preparing sauces and entrees.
Settlers Select also has a full bar -- completely refurbished from the L.B. Grand days. Settlers in Batavia doesn't serve alcohol.
Spyropoulous expects customers to find the same friendly atmosphere at Settlers Select as they do at Settlers Restaurant.
"All my staff in Batavia, all the waitresses I have, are very talkative with customers," Spyropoulous said. "Everybody enjoys themselves when they come in. I get so many good reviews about how good my staff is, how good everybody treats customers there. I just want the same thing here, you know, and a bunch of the new people that I've hired, I think we're gonna be all right."
Settlers Select, 37-39 Main Street, Le Roy Photo by Howard Owens.
Photo by Howard Owens.
The main dining room. Photo by Howard Owens.
Photo by Howard Owens.
In memory of Steve Spyropoulous, a tribute card embedded at a corner seat of the bar. Photo by Howard Owens.
The refurbished bar Photo by Howard Owens.
Roasted Cauliflower Photo by Howard Owens.
Pita and hot pepper dip Photo by Howard Owens.
French onion burger Photo by Howard Owens.
Pork Cutlet with smashed potatoes and braised cabbage Photo by Howard Owens.
More than 950 local residents received free Thanksgiving meals on Thursday, prepared and delivered by dozens of City Church volunteers working out of the kitchen at the St. Anthony's campus.
Most of the meals were delivered but tables were set for any people who wished to dine at St. Anthony's.
